In this book Peter Smagorinsky and Joel Taxel analyze the ways in which the perennial issue of character education has been articulated in the United States, both historically and in the current ...character education movement that began in earnest in the 1990s. The goal is to uncover the ideological nature of different conceptions of character education. The authors show how the current discourses are a continuation of discourse streams through which character education and the national purpose have been debated for hundreds of years, most recently in what are known as the Culture Wars--the intense, often passionate debates about morality, culture, and values carried out by politicians, religious groups, social policy foundations, and a wide range of political commentators and citizens, in which the various stakeholders have sought influence over a wide range of social and economic issues, including education. The centerpiece is a discourse analysis of proposals funded by the United States Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). Discourse profiles from sets of states that exhibit two distinct conceptions of character are examined and the documents from particular states are placed in dialogue with the OERI Request for Proposals. One profile reflects the dominant perspective promoted in the U.S., based on an authoritarian view in which young people are indoctrinated into the value system of presumably virtuous adults through didactic instruction. The other reflects the well-established yet currently marginal discourse emphasizing attention to the whole environment in which character is developed and enacted and in which reflection on morality, rather than didactic instruction in morality, is the primary instructional approach. By focusing on these two distinct regions and their conceptions of character, the authors situate the character education movement at the turn of the twenty-first century in the context of
Drawing on a variety of sources, this essay outlines the beginnings of a political economy of the children's literature publishing industry. The rapidly changing set of institutional and ...socioeconomic and political circumstances known as fast capitalism provides the backdrop for a detailed discussion of the profound impact that the consolidation of the publishing industry by giant international media conglomerates is having on the kinds of books that are commissioned, written, produced, and marketed. Central to the analysis is a consideration of the continuing commodification of children's literature that is apparent in the ever expanding mass-market side of the industry, the explosive increase in the licensing and merchandizing of characters from children's books and popular films, and the proliferation of a variety of series books that have assumed the status of brand names comparable to other commercial commodities. I give particular attention to some of the debates surrounding the publication of multicultural children's literature as they are especially revealing of political and economic factors that impinge on children's literature. The importance of this analysis for literacy educators and researchers derives from the conviction that the complex processes that lead to the publication of literature for young people directly influences the kinds of books that are available to members of society and thus is crucial to the future of both education and democratic society.
This essay outlines the beginnings of a political economy of the children’s literature publishing industry. Central to the analysis is a consideration of the continuing commodification of children’s ...literature, the increase in the licensing and merchandizing of characters from children’s books and popular films, and the proliferation of series books that have assumed the status of brand names comparable to other commercial commodities.
Examines the conservative response to the movement for multiculturalism as manifested in the case of children's literature, exploring the challenges posed to those concerned with creating, producing, ...distributing, and consuming children's literature. The paper also explores authorship of multicultural books, discussing the freedom of writers to write without restriction. (SM)
Addresses the whole language versus phonics debate. Catalogues some of the central features of the Bush administration's educational policy, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Supports a dynamic, ...literature-based curriculum. (SG)
Discusses some of the complex and complicated issues surrounding the controversies about political correctness (PC) and multiculturalism in literature for young people. Provides some historical ...context for the debates about PC and children's literature. Suggests that debates about PC and multiculturalism are part of a larger struggle over questions of how Americans understand their past, present, and future. (RS)
Presents a critique of recent trends and changes within the children's book publishing industry, especially nonliterary factors, tensions between commerce and culture, and the impact of mergers. ...Suggests that changes are dramatically altering the underlying culture of the publishing industry and radically altering the publishing people have come to know, love, and expect. (SR)
Presents an interview with the vice president and publisher, and the marketing director, of the Walt Disney Company concerning plans for the company to enter the competitive field of children's book ...publishing. (RS)
Despite receiving prestigious literary awards, two historical novels for young people-Sebestyen's Words By Heart and Fox's The Slave Dancer-have evoked the bitter criticism of such politically ...oriented groups as the Council on Interracial Books for Children. It is claimed that these books present a distorted and inaccurate view of black culture and history. The controversies that have surrounded these books are examined and the books themselves are discussed in relation to a third novel-Taylor's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, a book lauded for both its literary qualities and its perspective on black history.
It is argued that the traditional evaluation and criticism of the aesthetic values of children's literature must be joined by criticism which focuses on the sociohis- torical and cultural dimensions of that literature. I suggest that any liberties or inaccuracies in historical fact taken by authors must be justified by the contribution to the aesthetic qualities of the work. These liberties or inaccuracies must also be assessed in terms of their potentially harmful impact on children. The importance of attending to the sociohistorical and cultural dimensions of literature is also made by referring to recent research on the sociology of school knowledge.
